Lesson 5Beyond single sentences: Cohesion and Coherence

Cohesion and Coherence

Prose feels like it fits together if1) The end of one sentence fits with

the beginning of the next sentence.2) Most sentences in the entire

passage have simple subjects that are the topics of the sentence and of the paragraph.

Flow (Cohesiveness)

Sentences flow when the last few of one sentence sets up the first words of the next.

(passive voice is sometimes necessary for this reason).

Principles to follow Begin sentences with information

familiar to your readers End sentences with information your

reader cannot predict.

Cohesion

This is the something old something new rule.

See handout.

Balance

You must balance principles that make sentences clear with principles that make a passage cohesive.

Principles Make the characters the subjects of your

sentences (and make simple subjects short, concrete, preferably flesh and blood characters)

Make actions the verbs of your sentences.

Begin sentences with information familiar to your readers

End sentences with information your reader cannot predict.

Coherence Simple/whole subjects of sentences

in paragraph are related Sentences share common themes or

ideas (this we usually get) The paragraph has one sentence that

states what the whole passage is about (Topic Sentence).

Characters and topics Last lesson, we discovered readers want

characters to be the subject of the sentence. This lesson we discover that readers want

topics to be the character of a sentence. In other words, readers want characters and

topic to be the same thing.

It is impossible for your claim to be proved.

You cannot prove that claim.Your claim is not provable.

Diagnose and Revise for Coherence

1) Underline whole subject/simple subject.

2) Are the underlined words a set of related ideas? Do the underlined words name the most important characters?

3) If “no” to #2, revise passage.

Beginning sentences Begin with “something old.” Don’t make us wait with too many

into clauses to get to simple subject of sentence.

Make the whole/simple subject of your sentence the character of the sentence (lesson 4).

Make the whole/simple subject the topic of your paragraph (lesson 5).